Different languages in the workplace

[Jake.]

What are your thoughts on two or more people from a different country speaking their own language infront of yourself/others in the workplace? I've never had an issue with people doing so in the past, but others have told them it's rude etc

[Firewire]

Not an issue if it's not a conversation that I'm part of since I shouldn't be eavesdropping anyway

[Smithy]

Not in issue in the canteen/basement but on the shop floor I can imagine customers can find it rude cause they might think they're saying something rude about them

[Kizzy]

Wouldn't bother me really, what reasons have other colleagues given for them not speaking?

[Jamie89]

Not in issue in the canteen/basement but on the shop floor I can imagine customers can find it rude cause they might think they're saying something rude about them

I was gonna say this

[Mystic Mock]

It is rude because if it's a conversation that is trivial but you want to get involved, how can you when they're speaking a different language right in front of you?

[kirklancaster]

If British people in a public environment want to discuss something personal or private, then they wait until an opportunity presents itself then find a quiet spot to do so.

English speaking foreigners can do exactly the same.

The only time when English speaking foreigners speak in a foreign language in front of English people is when they ARE discussing something which they DO NOT want the English people around them to understand.

And USUALLY this is BECAUSE they ARE talking about THEM - in a derogatory manner - in my experience.

Even when the above may NOT be the case - it is still ignorant to speak in a foreign language in front of English people when you CAN speak English - in my opinion.

[Northern Monkey]

If British people in a public environment want to discuss something personal or private, then they wait until an opportunity presents itself then find a quiet spot to do so.

English speaking foreigners can do exactly the same.

The only time when English speaking foreigners speak in a foreign language in front of English people is when they ARE discussing something which they DO NOT want the English people around them to understand.

And USUALLY this is BECAUSE they ARE talking about THEM - in a derogatory manner - in my experience.

Even when the above may NOT be the case - it is still ignorant to speak in a foreign language in front of English people when you CAN speak English - in my opinion.I agree.I have worked in several places where foreigners have done this.It is rude and just annoys people.

[lostalex]

I once worked with a girl who was a jehovah's witness from Haiti. it was a nightmare. honestly her religion was more annoying than her english skills though. I've noticed the immigrants i've worked with tend to be waayyy too religious.

She once tried to get me fired just for telling her that her religion was a lie and stupid. (I only said this because she was constantly bringing up her religion) thankfully my boss knew that she was just a crazy christian and assured me if anyone was going to be fired it would be her. She ended up quitting because our boss refused to punish me.

[bots]

It happens at every premier league football club in the land. If people struggle with English and have someone they can communicate with in their mother tongue, of course they are going to do it. It's not rude in the least.

Anyone that has worked for multi-national companies will have experienced it every day to. Its normal.

[kirklancaster]

It happens at every premier league football club in the land. If people struggle with English and have someone they can communicate with in their mother tongue, of course they are going to do it. It's not rude in the least.

Anyone that has worked for multi-national companies will have experienced it every day to. Its normal.

Emotional ouburst at footie matches or people 'struggling with English' are one thing, but the Op is specific about the workplace and I assume, from foreigners who can speak English

My own experiences include when I was on holiday in Agios Nikalaos in Crete and sitting at a table in the 'Yacht Club' (not as posh as it sounds) with my then girlfriend, when a Greek waiter who could speak perfectly good English, turned to a table full of Greek men and said something which had them looking at us and laughing. I know enough Greek to recognise that he was saying he would like to ****** my girlfriend if he could get rid of the wanker - me.

Another time, was in my own office when a visiting Polish businessman (who was NOT getting his own way) suddenly started talking in Polish to my own (dodgy) Polish Foreman and proceeded to call me a 'cock sucker' or words to that effect. I know enough Polish too to recognise just what he was saying.

[waterhog]

rude - height of bad manners.

[arista]

rude - height of bad manners.


They do not care

[DemolitionRed]

Having worked in France, Germany, Romania and Bulgaria, I know how it feels to be in the company of a lot of people who don't speak your mother tongue.

My French is fairly fluent. The only problem I have is when there's a lot of people all talking at once. When we speak a second language, even fairly well, we tend to have difficulties when there are many conversations (in that foreign language) going on around us. Even in France, If an English person is present at a gathering of people, I'm more likely to seek them out and converse with them simply because its less stressful.

I speak very little Romanian, German and Bulgarian though I do make the effort with simple conversation. Its exhausting though because I think in English and then form my answers in that language. People don't really want to have a deep and meaningful conversation with me because I'm constantly getting stuck and getting them to repeat themselves. For them its like talking with a five year old!.

I completely understand why foreigners prefer to speak in their own language when they want to have a hearty conversation. They don't do it because they are talking about you behind your back but because language and communication is important to them.

[DemolitionRed]

If British people in a public environment want to discuss something personal or private, then they wait until an opportunity presents itself then find a quiet spot to do so.

English speaking foreigners can do exactly the same.

The only time when English speaking foreigners speak in a foreign language in front of English people is when they ARE discussing something which they DO NOT want the English people around them to understand.

And USUALLY this is BECAUSE they ARE talking about THEM - in a derogatory manner - in my experience.

Even when the above may NOT be the case - it is still ignorant to speak in a foreign language in front of English people when you CAN speak English - in my opinion.

There have been times in France where people have heard me speak English and gone on to say something that they presume I can't understand. It doesn't happen often but it has happened. From the few small experiences I've had though, I think its less common than we think it is.

[bots]

Ignorant, unpleasant people will always be so whether they are speaking in a foreign language or not. If they speak the same language, they will speak behind your back, it equates to the same thing.

People get uncomfortable and paranoid when people speak a different language. For some reason, they automatically think they are being talked about. The simple response is .... who cares. Move on and ignore it.

[Ammi]

..personally I would take it as a bit of a free lesson in that language and be very interested in it/learning some of it myself...there's no greater way to learn a language than to be among it/have it spoken around you...as a nation, I don't think that enough emphasis and time is placed on learning languages at school/primary school ages I mean, but thankfully that's changing now as Modern Foreign Languages are being given more time than they ever have, right from Reception age..

[Vicky.]

Honestly, it pisses me off a lot sometimes

The shop up the road from me...its a bunch of pakistanis brothers who own it. They all speak perfect English, yet most of the time they speak in their language instead. Mind, they also speak on their phones while serving...I think they are just quite ignorant in general :S

If it was 2 people on the street, I don't give a ****. But in service, I think it is wrong.

[Niamh.]

Doesn't bother me really :shrug:

[Jamie89]

..personally I would take it as a bit of a free lesson in that language and be very interested in it/learning some of it myself...there's no greater way to learn a language than to be among it/have it spoken around you...as a nation, I don't think that enough emphasis and time is placed on learning languages at school/primary school ages I mean, but thankfully that's changing now as Modern Foreign Languages are being given more time than they ever have, right from Reception age..

I started learning Cantonese recently so I always perk up around Chinese people (hoping they're speaking it) to test myself if I can understand anything lol.

I love languages and seeing how different people communicate etc. But I agree with what some people are saying about how if their intentions are rude or exclusionary, then that's obviously bad. I think sometimes though it's just a 'home comforts' thing. One of my friends studied Spanish at uni and lived in Spain for 3 years (and could speak fluent Spanish) but sometimes when he'd meet an English speaking person he'd talk in English with them, just because he so rarely had the opportunity to do it, and it was like a 'warm fuzzy feeling' sort of thing for him, rather than it being because he didn't like being in Spain, or didn't want other people to understand him or anything. There's a natural, instinctive 'fear of the unknown' that I think is innate to all of us, which is probably why it makes us feel uncomfortable sometimes when we can't understand what people are saying, but realistically I think it's rarely done with sinister intentions.

[Denver]

It bothers me because im a nosey bastard and i like to listen in

[DemolitionRed]

When you can't translate your own well versed language into something fluid, its frustrating. People honestly do look at you like you're a bit thick sometimes!!

I agree with Ammi. When you listen to people speaking you can pluck that pronunciation out of the air. Studying and reading will never do that for you and so its crucial that we as foreigners or foreigners amongst us pay attention to what is being said.

Jamie, I can totally understand your friend. When you are speaking a foreign language all day long, being able to speak your own language now and again is wonderful. Even when you reach the stage of thinking in that other language, switching back to your own when you have the opportunity is too tempting to resist.

[Kizzy]

If it was me and another Brit working in another country I would speak to them in English if the convo was between ourselves.... I think there's some paranoia at play here :laugh:

[Ammi]

I started learning Cantonese recently so I always perk up around Chinese people (hoping they're speaking it) to test myself if I can understand anything lol.

I love languages and seeing how different people communicate etc. But I agree with what some people are saying about how if their intentions are rude or exclusionary, then that's obviously bad. I think sometimes though it's just a 'home comforts' thing. One of my friends studied Spanish at uni and lived in Spain for 3 years (and could speak fluent Spanish) but sometimes when he'd meet an English speaking person he'd talk in English with them, just because he so rarely had the opportunity to do it, and it was like a 'warm fuzzy feeling' sort of thing for him, rather than it being because he didn't like being in Spain, or didn't want other people to understand him or anything. There's a natural, instinctive 'fear of the unknown' that I think is innate to all of us, which is probably why it makes us feel uncomfortable sometimes when we can't understand what people are saying, but realistically I think it's rarely done with sinister intentions.


..oh a nice easy language then Jamie..:laugh:..I always find the speaking of a language much less difficult than the writing of..but I agree with the communication as well, many languages are equally expressed in body movements as they are through the spoken word, they just don't have the same meaning without that...we've had Polish children at school who have spoken no English at all..(which I guess could for the other children, could be equated to in a work place..)..and through that, they've also learned some Polish words and their meanings themselves..so it really is something that can benefit ...we also have children where English is their second language, and who help in learning the other children their first language and will sometimes express themselves in that language totally, without even realise that they're doing it.../because it's so natural to them and not always a conscious thing...in the work place with 'exclusions'..?...yeah I understand that as well but I think that exclusions can often occur in a workplace environment anyway ...if you're not interested in gossipy bits that go on and such the like...and the in-house politics etc...and it can feel like a foreign language..:laugh:..I'd probably prefer it myself, if I understood some of it less....

[user104658]

It depends.

If they're speaking to each other in their native language just so that they can better communicate an idea or topic to each other that way then there's obviously absolutely no problem with it.

If they're doing it specifically because they don't want other people who are around to know what they're, then it's quite rude. Worse still is if they're quite blatantly talking / laughing about someone or something and pointedly want to keep others out of the loop.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Rude. Speak english and leave the other language for outside work

[Gstar]

I don't mind/care

[Shaun]

If it was me and another Brit working in another country I would speak to them in English if the convo was between ourselves.... I think there's some paranoia at play here :laugh:

Basically this. It's just a convenience thing.

[Ninastar]

If they did it all the time with no intentions of speaking to you/others in english, then I could see it being an issue. If it was the occasional conversation, I wouldn't mind. I would love to learn a second language (esp spanish), so if I was in a situation where I could pick up some of the basic phrases and stuff, I'd be very happy!

[Kizzy]

Some context wouldn't go amiss.

[Kizzy]

If they did it all the time with no intentions of speaking to you/others in english, then I could see it being an issue. If it was the occasional conversation, I wouldn't mind. I would love to learn a second language (esp spanish), so if I was in a situation where I could pick up some of the basic phrases and stuff, I'd be very happy!

https://www.duolingo.com/

Merry Christmas!

[Crimson Dynamo]

who are these foreigners anyway

are they local?

:suspect:

[Jake.]

Some context wouldn't go amiss.

What context would you like? I wasn't referring to one situation in particular.

[Niamh.]

What context would you like? I wasn't referring to one situation in particular.

The only situation I can think of here is there's a guy who works in the same building as us and he's Polish, everyday when the Courier guy comes in (who is also Polish) they usually have a chat in Polish. I have no idea what they're talking about and it doesn't bother me in the slightest, usually I'd just be thinking oh it must be nice for them to be able to have a chat in their native tongue during the day

[Kizzy]

What context would you like? I wasn't referring to one situation in particular.

Well what are they doing at the time.. working, on a break, in a mixed nationality group, between two people, What's the main gripe?
Without some idea of the situation it's impossible to say if it's appropriate or not.

[Ammi]

The only situation I can think of here is there's a guy who works in the same building as us and he's Polish, everyday when the Courier guy comes in (who is also Polish) they usually have a chat in Polish. I have no idea what they're talking about and it doesn't bother me in the slightest, usually I'd just be thinking oh it must be nice for them to be able to have a chat in their native tongue during the day

..they're probably saying...I wonder what this TiBB thing is that she's always on ...

[LemonJam]

Where I used to work there was a guy who frequently spoke Punjabi and used it to talk **** about fellow staff members, customers etc. One time in the staff room he was speaking Punjabi to fellow speakers so he could deliberately isolate the people who didn't speak it from the conversation. Other people replied in English to help us be part of the conversation but he kept asking them "Why are you speaking English?" It's a shame because otherwise it's never really been an issue for me but it's people with that sort of attitude that make it into an issue.

[Ashley.]

When I'm in Spain I speak English unless I'm talking to a Spanish person or a Spanish person is included in the conversation. Why should I speak in Spanish to my English friend just because of the country we are in? It works both ways, whether in work or outside of work. It doesn't bother me at all.

[joeysteele]

Doesn't bother me and I don't agree with the post that says it is because they are talking about 'English or other UK citizens.
I see nothing to get worked up about at all on this.

[kirklancaster]

There have been times in France where people have heard me speak English and gone on to say something that they presume I can't understand. It doesn't happen often but it has happened. From the few small experiences I've had though, I think its less common than we think it is.

Thanks Red. It may not be common - I wouldn't know- but as with everything, I can only go on my own direct experience and it HAS happened to me more than once, but there are only the two examples where I recognised what they WERE saying.

[JoshBB]

Not an issue if it's not a conversation that I'm part of since I shouldn't be eavesdropping anyway

This.

If I went to another country, I would attempt to use the language but probably fail and revert to English so I understand if they would chose to speak to their friends in their own. :laugh:

[Drew.]

Was with a Lithuanian couple today who both work together and they kept talking in their language with each other but it seemed to be much easier for them to communicate rather than being rude or anything like that.

[jennyjuniper]

I've lived in Denmark for nearly 30 years and am fluent in Danish, although I still speak it with a bit of an accent. Strangers usually can tell that I'm not Danish and usually start talking in English, because they love to practise!! However in the workplace I always spoke Danish.'The thing that ticks me off is not really people speaking in their own language, but people speaking on their mobiles, when moments before they were having a conversation with me.